If we were to meet again in the future, what could our communities look like if we were successful in making them more inclusive, sustainable and resilient – and what are the risks if we don’t? To kickstart the discussion, hear the insights participants gained from the morning’s strategic foresight exercise and discussions at the 80th Session of the LEED Committee. Following this, panellists will reflect on preparing for the jobs and skills of tomorrow, including meeting the requirements of the green transition.

The social economy is often more visible as a tool to address social challenges. However, it can – and in many places already does – play a much larger role in helping to make our communities more resilient, inclusive and sustainable over the long-term. This workshop will explore how to better connect the social economy and local development efforts, including quality jobs for all.

The rapid expansion of remote working has radically changed our workplaces and grabbed headlines since the start of the pandemic. As we move into the new normal, what will blended and remote working mean for local development more generally? What new opportunities can be leveraged, and what challenges could present themselves?

Education and training is no longer something that can be frontloaded in the start of a working life and then put aside. As the imperative for lifelong learning grows, how can we revamp and ramp up local skills systems so that more people – whether in work or looking for a job – are able to get the skills they need to stay relevant in a shifting labour market?

If you build it, will they will come? For many, other barriers, from childcare to transport to mental and physical health challenges inhibit meaningful engagement in education and training systems. While digital delivery has helped to expand access, it also limits the types of face-to-face supports that may be the most beneficial for some. This workshop will explore how to improve on-ramps and pathways for people who want to re-engage in education and training, but may face barriers in doing so. Amongst others, the specific case of refugees and recently arrived migrants will be considered.

Is it really true that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks? The speakers in this session may disagree. We’ll hear from them how their communities are charting new paths for their future, leveraging a range of local assets.

During this session, participants will have the opportunity to network with each other and representatives of local programmes and initiatives from Ireland and beyond. See list of all confirmed exhibitors at https://www.oecd.org/local-forum/local-initiatives/

Today, communities across Europe and beyond are ramping up their efforts to respond to the Ukrainian refugee crisis, but this is just one example of the many links between migration and local development. This session will explore the various dimensions of these links, from how to coordinate efforts locally to ensure the best possible reception for recent arrivals to how emigrants and members of diasporas can contribute to local development in their new homes as well as their old.

Churchfield Community Trust is a community-based organisation situated on the Northside of Cork City. As an organisation they operate three several social enterprise initiatives which report significant positive social impacts which contribute to the social economy: - The Garden Café: This social enterprise provides training and mentoring in a live café environment to men and women who are interested in progressing to employment in the catering industry. Mentoring and certified training is delivered to employees who engage as part of the Garden Café initiative. - Compass Crafts: The carpentry team, design and produce garden furniture. playpark items and creche furniture. Trainees are trained and mentored under the supervision of the workshop manager in a live workshop environment focusing on pre-apprenticeship skills. - Growing Initiative: The Horticulture team grow and supply, fresh seasonal produce such as salad leaves, seasonal vegetables and fresh herbs to local restaurants including their own garden Café. For more information http://churchfieldcommunitytrust.com/

Historic walking tour led by Shane Lehane, Cork ETB, along Sullivan Quay to Nano Nagle Centre. Nano Nagle Centre - The site houses a complex of beautiful 18th-century buildings including the convent that Nano Nagle built for the Ursuline Order in 1771. It is integral to the City Centre Community, incorporating two community groups: - The Lantern Project - The Lantern Project is a place of welcome, learning and inclusion providing a safe place for people to learn and grow, develop new skills, meet others and make new friends. Community education and creativity are the cornerstones of the centre - Cork Migrant Centre Cork Business Association 2022 Winners – Sustainable Innovation Award Winner (Saoirse Welcome Hands on Deck) Delegates will also sample some light refreshments from the award winning café, Good Day Deli. Good Day Deli is a sustainable foods cafe in the gorgeous gardens of Nano Nagle Place, surrounded by nature and overlooking Cork City. For more information http://www.nanonaglecentre.ie/

Guided boat tour of The Port of Cork the world’s second largest natural harbour and a key international gateway for trade. The tour will provide a unique insight into The Port of Cork focusing on distinct locations in Cork’s natural deepwater harbour: The City Quays provide the service for bulks, while Cobh caters for cruise liners with Ireland’s only dedicated deep-water berth for cruise ships and Little Island and Ringaskiddy are home to large pharma industry. Cork plays a leading role in Ireland’s vibrant life sciences market. It is now one of Europe’s major manufacturing hubs for global pharma, biopharma and medtech. Cork hosts over 30 investors in the area, including global pharma leaders like Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), Abbvie, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Merck, GE Healthcare, Novartis, MSD and GSK.

Mary McCarthy - Director Crawford Art Gallery will welcome participants, giving an overview of the importance of culture to the city, this will be followed by a short tour through the gallery led by Michael Waldron. Crawford Art Gallery is a national cultural institution located in a significant heritage building in the heart of Cork city dedicated to the visual arts, both historic and contemporary. Crawford Art Gallery’s historic building provides an oasis of calm and tranquillity in the heart of Cork city, a monument to Cork’s 'Golden Age’ and it recalls the ties between commercial success and the development of Cork city in the early eighteenth and nineteenth century. Delegates will also sample some light refreshments from the award winning café, serving local produce which Cork is famous. To see current exhibitions, https://crawfordartgallery.ie/exhibitions/

Culture enriches our communities, but the full value in terms of jobs, economic output, innovation, community pride, and social inclusion remains underappreciated. This workshop will explore how a sharper focus on the diverse needs of this sector and strengthening the links with broader local development objectives can pay economic and social dividends.

Higher and further education institutes can support innovation in their own ecosystems by teaching new skills and aligning research with regional needs. By collaborating with businesses, policy makers, and civil society, they can became powerhouses of social and economic value. The recovery phase from the pandemic can be an opportunity to trigger innovation in all regions, leveraging on these institutions. The workshop will present some practices of HEIs cooperating with their own ecosystems to promote innovation and development and discuss ways to strengthen these collaborations.

Young people are some of the most vocal advocates for addressing global challenges such as climate change. And this sense of purpose informs a broader range of choices – from the jobs they do to the businesses they frequent to the ways they live. Yet this sense of purpose is often accompanied by a sense of anxiety about their economic and professional futures. What can be done to help ensure that all young people are able to contribute to building brighter futures for themselves and their communities?

Not everyone has an equal opportunity to transform their ideas into a business. There could be an additional 35 million people starting and managing new business across OECD countries if everyone was as active in business creation as core age men (30-49 years old). These “missing entrepreneurs” are costing economies potential innovation, growth and jobs in addition to needed diversity. This workshop will shine the spotlight on government efforts to leverage online policy delivery to engage under-represented groups.

As the green transition revs up, the sustainability imperative gains speed, and climate pressures mount, what are the implications for jobs and skills in your community?  This panel, bringing together the perspectives of policymakers, businesses and the community will explore the implications of this transitions at the local level.  How will the geography of jobs and skills needs change, and what can be done to ensure no person or place is left behind in this transition?  

The OECD’s Local Employment and Economic Development programme was born 40 years ago, when OECD governments saw that the standard, top down tools were not sufficient on their own to solve the jobs crisis of the day. It was a call to rethink our standard approaches and go beyond business as usual. As we look forward to the next 40 years, is it a matter of better using the tools we already have the right tools at hand to create good jobs in great places? Or do we need to more radically rethink how we approach local development?